A vehicular accessory module includes a circuit board and a metal enclosure. An electrically conductive grounding contact affixed at a first side of the circuit board and electrically connected to circuitry at the circuit board. The grounding contact is disposed between and contacts both the first side of the circuit board and the metal enclosure to provide an electrical connection between the circuit board and the metal enclosure. The grounding contact includes an abrasive surface that is in contact with the metal enclosure. Movement of the grounding contact relative to the metal enclosure causes the abrasive surface to scrape the metal enclosure to enhance grounding of the grounding contact with the metal enclosure.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A vehicular accessory module comprising: a circuit board having a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the circuit board, the circuit board having circuitry disposed thereat; a metal enclosure that houses the circuit board; an electrically conductive grounding contact affixed at the first side of the circuit board and electrically connected to circuitry at the circuit board; wherein the grounding contact is disposed between and contacts both the first side of the circuit board and the metal enclosure to provide an electrical connection between the circuit board and the metal enclosure; wherein the grounding contact comprises an abrasive surface; wherein the abrasive surface is in contact with the metal enclosure; wherein movement of the grounding contact relative to the metal enclosure causes the abrasive surface to scrape the metal enclosure to enhance grounding of the grounding contact with the metal enclosure; and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the grounding contact is different than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal enclosure, and wherein movement of the grounding contact relative to the metal enclosure is at least in part due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion.
2. The vehicular accessory module of claim 1 , wherein the abrasive surface is corrugated.
3. The vehicular accessory module of claim 1 , wherein the metal enclosure comprises a cast aluminum metal enclosure.
4. The vehicular accessory module of claim 1 , wherein the vehicular accessory module comprises a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle, the camera, when disposed at the vehicle, capturing image data.
5. The vehicular accessory module of claim 4 , wherein the circuitry comprises an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera.
6. The vehicular accessory module of claim 1 , wherein the grounding contact is soldered at the first side of the circuit board.
7. The vehicular accessory module of claim 1 , wherein the grounding contact comprises a foam-cored contact.
8. The vehicular accessory module of claim 7 , wherein the grounding contact comprises a metalized polyimide film outer covering.
9. The vehicular accessory module of claim 1 , wherein the grounding contact comprises a pad, and wherein the pad comprises the abrasive surface.
10. A vehicular accessory module comprising: a circuit board having a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the circuit board, the circuit board having circuitry disposed thereat; a metal enclosure that houses the circuit board; an electrically conductive grounding contact soldered at the first side of the circuit board and electrically connected to circuitry at the circuit board; wherein the grounding contact is disposed between and contacts both the first side of the circuit board and the metal enclosure to provide an electrical connection between the circuit board and the metal enclosure; wherein the grounding contact comprises a pad at an end of the grounding contact that is distal from an end of the grounding contact that is soldered at the first side of the circuit board, and wherein the pad comprises an abrasive surface; wherein the abrasive surface is in contact with the metal enclosure; wherein movement of the grounding contact relative to the metal enclosure causes the abrasive surface to scrape the metal enclosure to enhance grounding of the grounding contact with the metal enclosure; and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the grounding contact is different than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal enclosure, and wherein movement of the grounding contact relative to the metal enclosure is at least in part due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion.
11. The vehicular accessory module of claim 10 , wherein the metal enclosure comprises a cast aluminum metal enclosure.
12. The vehicular accessory module of claim 10 , wherein the grounding contact comprises a foam-cored contact.
13. The vehicular accessory module of claim 10 , wherein the vehicular accessory module comprises a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle, the camera, when disposed at the vehicle, capturing image data.
14. The vehicular accessory module of claim 13 , wherein the circuitry comprises an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera.
15. A vehicular accessory module comprising: a circuit board having a first side and a second side separated by a thickness of the circuit board, the circuit board having circuitry disposed thereat; wherein the vehicular accessory module comprises a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle, the camera, when disposed at the vehicle, capturing image data; wherein the circuitry comprises an image processor for processing image data captured by the camera; a cast aluminum metal enclosure that houses the circuit board; an electrically conductive grounding contact affixed at the first side of the circuit board and electrically connected to circuitry at the circuit board; wherein the grounding contact is disposed between and contacts both the first side of the circuit board and the cast aluminum metal enclosure to provide an electrical connection between the circuit board and the cast aluminum metal enclosure; wherein the grounding contact comprises an abrasive surface; wherein the abrasive surface is in contact with the cast aluminum metal enclosure; wherein movement of the grounding contact relative to the cast aluminum metal enclosure causes the abrasive surface to scrape the cast aluminum metal enclosure to enhance grounding of the grounding contact with the cast aluminum metal enclosure; and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the grounding contact is different than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the cast aluminum metal enclosure, and wherein movement of the grounding contact relative to the cast aluminum metal enclosure is at least in part due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion.
16. The vehicular accessory module of claim 15 , wherein the abrasive surface is corrugated.
17. The vehicular accessory module of claim 15 , wherein the grounding contact is soldered at the first side of the circuit board.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 15, 2020
August 31, 2021
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